HC Deb 03 November 1994 vol 248 cc1310-1W
Mr. Butcher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will conduct a study of the extent to which bus-only lanes cause increased traffic congestion and pollution.

Mr. Norris

I have no plans to do so at present.

Mr. Butcher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made as to whether stationary traffic causes more pollution than moving traffic in urban areas.

Mr. Norris

Research is regularly undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory and other laboratories to assess the emissions characteristics of motor vehicles operating under a variety of driving conditions. This shows that below an optimum speed of some 40 to 50 miles per hour, the slower the speed the greater the level of emissions from the vehicle. The higher density of stationary or very slow moving traffic compared with free moving traffic will also affect overall levels of emissions.

Mr. Butcher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will conduct a review of the extent to which left-turn only and right-turn only lanes have slowed down traffic flow through junctions.

Mr. Norris

Traffic management is a matter for the local highway authority. Right—and left—turn only lanes are necessary in some cases for the safe and efficient flow of traffic through junctions and we have no evidence that they are in general being used inappropriately. I do not currently plan to review their use.

Mr. Butcher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of reductions in queuing at junctions on traffic congestion and urban pollution.

Mr. Norris

Delays and queues at junctions are the primary cause of traffic congestion in urban areas, thus reducing queuing at junctions has a direct effect on congestion. Where road and junction schemes in urban areas are proposed to reduce congestion, the impact of reductions in queuing at junctions is assessed as a matter of course.

Stop-start traffic generates more exhaust gases per vehicle than smoothly flowing traffic. A reduction in queuing can be expected to reduce local air pollution levels.